Washing machine

ABSTRACT

A washing machine is provided. The washing machine may include a base; a cabinet supported by the base, an outer tub provided within the cabinet, an inner tub to receive laundry and that rotates about a vertical axis within the outer tub, a circulation nozzle provided at an upper portion of the outer tub and that discharges water into the inner tub, a pump provided below the outer tub and that pumps water from the outer tub, and a circulation hose that guides water ejected from the pump to the circulation nozzle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0139279, filed on Oct. 2, 2015, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0139272, filed on Oct. 2, 2015, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0141714, filed on Oct. 8, 2015, whose entire disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments relate to a washing machine.

2. Background

A washing machine may process laundry through several operations, such as, e.g. washing, dehydrating, and/or drying. The washing machine may include an outer tub that fills with water and an inner tub rotatably provided within the outer tub, and a plurality of through-holes through which water passes may be formed in the inner tub. When laundry such as clothing or bedding is placed within the inner tub, a user may select a desired course using a control panel, by executing a predetermined algorithm to correspond to the selected course, such that water supply and drainage, washing, rinsing, and dehydrating may be performed.

The washing machine may be classified as a top loading washing machine, in which an inner tub receives laundry from an upper portion thereof and rotates about a vertical axis, and a front loading washing machine, in which an inner tub receives laundry from a front side thereof and rotates about a horizontal axis. The top load washing machine may include a suspension structure with a hanger, and an outer tub thereof may be suspended within the cabinet. When the inner tub rotates, the outer tub may vibrate, and a considerable amount of vibration may be absorbed by the suspension.

An inner side surface of the cabinet and an outer side surface of the outer tub may be separately provided to minimize vibration transfer between the outer tub to the cabinet. At a space between the cabinet and the outer tub, several elements, such as, e.g., a pump, a hose, and a wire may be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the washing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a hanger structure and a portion of the washing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of relationships between elements of the washing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5A illustrates a state in which water may be ejected through a circulation nozzle when an inner tub is unloaded;

FIG. 5B illustrates a state in which water may be ejected through a circulation nozzle when an inner tub is in a maximum load;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a top cover;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a top cover;

FIG. 8A is a rear view of a top cover with a circulation nozzle installed;

FIG. 8B is a rear view of a top cover with a circulation nozzle separated;

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a rear portion of a circulation nozzle;

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of a coupling between a top cover and a circulation nozzle;

FIG. 10A is a side view of a circulation nozzle and a nozzle cap assembly installed in a top cover;

FIG. 10B is a perspective view of a circulation nozzle installed in a top cover;

FIG. 10C is a side cross-sectional view of a circulation nozzle;

FIG. 11A is a diagram of a height in which water ejected through a circulation nozzle may contact an inner tub according to a rotation speed of a washing motor;

FIG. 11B is a diagram of an angle in which water ejected through a circulation nozzle may be spread in a width direction according to a rotation speed of a washing motor;

FIG. 12 is a diagram of an ejection range of a circulation nozzle and a direct water nozzle;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a circulation nozzle according to another embodiment;

FIG. 14A is a perspective view of a pump of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14B is a side view of the pump of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 14C is a diagram of a pump housing removed from the pump of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 14D is a front view of the pump of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 15 is a cut-away view of an inside of a pump housing of the pump of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 16 is a diagram of an inner side surface of a pump housing;

FIG. 17A is a perspective view of a rear portion of a pump;

FIG. 17B is a side cross-sectional view of a pump;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a pump bracket;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a pump installed on a base at several side surfaces;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a pump according to another embodiment;

FIG. 21A is a side view of a pump according to another embodiment in which a first pump housing and a second pump housing are removed;

FIG. 21B is a view taken in a direction I of FIG. 21A in which a first pump housing and a second pump housing are assembled;

FIG. 21C is a view taken in a direction II of FIG. 21A in which the first pump housing and the second pump housing are assembled;

FIGS. 22A and 22B are partial perspective views of a relationship between a lower end of the circulation hose of FIG. 2 and a peripheral element thereof;

FIG. 23 is a partial perspective view of a relationship between an upper end of the circulation hose of FIG. 2 and a peripheral element thereof;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the circulation hose of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a circulation hose according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, a washing machine according to an embodiment may include a base 9, a cabinet 1, a top cover 2, a lid 4, and a control panel 3. The base 9 may be flat and correspond to a bottom of the washing machine when it is installed. The base 9 may be supported by four base supports 16 installed at four corners of the cabinet 1. A pump 100 may be installed at the base 9. The base 9 may form an approximate external shape of a quadrangle, and the base support 16 may be installed at a point separate from an inside of four vertexes of a quadrangle. The base support 16 may protrude from a lower portion of the base 9 to contact a floor or surface on which the washing machine may be installed. The base support 16 may include a base support portion 16 a that protrudes upwards from an upper surface of the base 9 into the cabinet 1. The four base supports 16 may support the base 9, and the base 9 may support the washing machine.

The cabinet 1 may be supported by the base 9. In order to form space that houses an outer tub 6 therein, the cabinet 1 may include a front 1 a, sides 1 b and 1 c installed along an outer edge of the base 9, and a rear 1 d, and an upper surface and a lower surface of the cabinet 1 may be opened. The top cover 2 may be coupled to the cabinet 1 at an upper end of the cabinet 1. At the top cover 2, a laundry opening to access laundry may be formed, and at the top cover 2, the lid 4 that opens and closes the laundry opening may be rotatably coupled.

In the cabinet 1, the outer tub 6 that fills with water may be provided. The outer tub 6 may be suspended within the cabinet 1 by a hanger 80. The hanger 80 may include a support rod 81 having the upper end pivotably coupled to the top cover 2 and a suspension installed in the support rod 81 to buffer a vibration of the outer tub 6. The suspension may be formed in various forms. For example, the suspension may include an outer tub support member that supports the outer tub 6 and that moves along the support rod 81 when the outer tub 6 vibrates and a spring fixedly provided at a lower end part of the support rod 81 to elastically support the outer tub support member.

Referring to FIG. 3, at an upper portion of the outer tub 6 within the cabinet 1, a hanger bracket 88 may be provided. The hanger bracket 88 may be provided at the top cover 2. The upper end of the support rod 81 may be pivotably connected to the hanger bracket 88. The hanger 80 may include the support rod 81, a cap 85, and an elastic member 86.

When the cap 85 is inserted into the support rod 81, the cap 85 may move along the support rod 81. The outer tub 6 may be supported by the cap 85, and during vibration, the outer tub 6 may integrally moves with the cap 85. The support rod 81 may include a support rod base 87 formed at a lower end. The base 87 may extend out radially at the lower end of the support rod 81, and the elastic member 86 provided within the cap 85 may be put on an upper surface of the support rod base 87.

The elastic member 86 may be a spring, and an upper end of the spring 86 may support the cap 85. While the cap 85 is displaced together with the outer tub 6, when the cap 85 moves downward, the spring 86 may be compressed, and when the cap 85 moves upward, the spring 86 may be restored to an original state. The hanger brackets 88 may be each provided at a periphery of four corners of the cabinet 1 and/or the top cover 2. The four hangers 80 may be connected to the hanger brackets 88, respectively. When viewing from above, each hanger 80 may be installed at a periphery of four corners of the cabinet 1.

An upper portion of the outer tub 6 may be opened, and at the opened upper portion, an outer tub cover 7 may be provided. The outer tub cover 7 may be formed in a ring-shape having an opened central portion for injection and discharge of the laundry. An inner tub 5 that houses the laundry and that rotates about a vertical axis may be provided in the outer tub 6. A plurality of holes through which water passes may be formed in the inner tub 5, and water may flow between the inner tub 5 and the outer tub 6 through holes 5 a.

In the outer tub 6, a drain bellows 18 that discharges water from the outer tub 6 and a drain valve 44 at the drain bellows 18 may be provided. The drain bellows 18 may be connected to the pump 100, and when the drain valve 44 is opened by a controller 30, water may be supplied to the pump 100 through the drain bellows 18. Hereinafter, although not separately described, the pump 100 may operate in a state in which the drain bellows 18 may be opened.

In a lower portion within the inner tub 5, a pulsator 15 may be rotatably provided. The pulsator 15 may include a plurality of radial ribs that protrude upward. When the pulsator 15 rotates, a water flow may be formed by the ribs. In the cabinet 1, a washing motor 41 that provides power to rotate the inner tub 5 and the pulsator 15 may be provided. The washing motor 41 may be provided at a lower portion of the outer tub 6 and may be provided to suspend within the cabinet 1 together with the outer tub 6. A rotation shaft of the washing motor 41 may be coupled to the pulsator 15 and may be coupled to the inner tub 5 or may be released from the inner tub 5 according to a conversion operation of a clutch. Therefore, when a rotation shaft of the washing motor 41 operates while coupled to the inner tub 5, the pulsator 15 and the inner tub 5 integrally rotate, and if the rotation shaft is separated from the inner tub 5, the inner tub 5 may be stopped and only the pulsator 15 may rotate.

The washing motor 41 may control a speed and may be controlled by the control of the controller 30. The washing motor 41 may be preferably a Brushless Direct Current Motor (BLDC motor). Control of a speed of the BLDC motor may be performed using a Proportional-Integral controller (PI controller) and a Proportional-Integral-Derivative controller (PID controller), and the controllers may receive feedback from an output of the motor to perform a vector control of an input current of the motor.

In order to discharge water within the outer tub 6 or in order to circulate water through a circulation hose or recirculation hose 90, at least one pump may be required. A pump for drainage and a pump for circulation may be separately provided, but drainage and circulation may be selectively performed using one pump 100.

The circulation hose 90 may guide water delivered by the pump 100 to a circulation nozzle 12, and one end thereof may be connected to a circulation water discharge port 144 and another end thereof may be connected to the circulation nozzle 12. The circulation water discharge port 144 may protrude in a lateral direction from the pump 100 to be coupled to one end of the circulation hose 90. The circulation water discharge port 144 may protrude horizontally and extend in an upward inclined direction. The circulation water discharge port 144 may extend upward to the rear.

The pump 100 may include a pump motor 170 and an impeller 150 that rotates by the pump motor 170 and that delivers water. The pump motor 170 may perform a forward/reverse rotation and convert a rotation direction of the impeller 150 to correspond to a rotation direction of the pump motor 170. The pump motor 170 may control a speed and may be controlled by the control of the controller 30. The pump motor 170 may be a BLDC motor. A speed control of the BLDC motor may be performed using a PI controller and a PID controller, and the controllers may receive feedback from an output of the motor to perform a vector control of an input current of the motor.

The pump 100 may include two ports, for example, the circulation water discharge port 144 and a drain port 143, that discharge water delivered by the impeller 150. When the pump motor 170 rotates in a forward direction, water may be discharged through the circulation water discharge port 144, and when the pump motor 170 rotates in a backward direction, water may be discharged through the drain port 143.

In the top cover 2, a dispenser 17 to supply additives into the inner tub 5 may be provided. Examples of additives to be supplied by the dispenser 17 may include detergent and/or fabric conditioner. The dispenser 17 may include a dispenser housing 171 provided within the top cover 2 and a drawer 172 in which an additive may be put and may be drawn out from the dispenser housing 171. In the top cover 2, a drawer entrance through which the drawer 172 passes may be formed, and an opening portion may be formed in the dispenser housing 171 to correspond to the drawer entrance at one surface. An inside of the drawer 172 may be partitioned into, for example, a detergent receiver 172 a for detergent and a fabric conditioner receiver 172 b for fabric conditioner.

At an upper surface of the dispenser housing 171, a plurality of water supply ports may be formed. The water supply ports may include a first water supply port 171 a and second water supply port 171 b that inject hot water and cold water, respectively, supplied to the detergent receiver 172 a and a third water supply port 171 c that injects cold water or hot water supplied to the fabric conditioner receiver 172 b. Cold water receiver injected into the third water supply port 171 c, but is not limited thereto.

The washing machine may include at least one water supply hose that guides water supplied from an external water source, such as, e.g., a faucet. The water supply hoses may include a first water supply hose that guides water supplied from a cold water source to the first water supply port 171 a, a second water supply hose that guides water supplied from a hot water source to the second water supply port 171 b, a third water supply hose that guides water supplied from the cold water source to the third water supply port 171 c, and a fourth water supply hose or a direct water supply hose that supplies water to a direct water nozzle 13.

Cold water may be supplied through the direct water supply hose. The fourth water supply hose may be connected to a water source, but according to an embodiment, the fourth water supply hose may be connected to the first water supply hose or the third water supply hose. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and cold water, hot water, or mixed water of cold water and hot water may be supplied through the water supply hose.

At least one water supply valve 43 for the water supply hoses may be provided. For example, a first water supply valve for a first water supply hose, a second water supply valve for the second water supply hose, a third water supply valve for the third water supply hose, and a fourth water supply valve for the direct water supply hose may be provided, and each water supply valve may be operated by the controller 30.

The washing machine may include a water level sensor 42 that detects a water level within the outer tub 6. The controller 30 may control the water supply valve 43 and/or the drain valve 44 according to a water level detected by the water level sensor 42. The control panel 3 may include an input 46 such as, e.g., a key, button, and/or touch panel, that may set, select, and adjust various operation modes in which the washing machine may operate. The control panel 3 may include a display, a lamp, a LCD panel, and/or a LED panel that display an operation state of the washing machine and various information such as, e.g., a response, warning, and notification according to selection of the operation mode. A memory 47 may store various data necessary to operate the washing machine and may be formed with various recording mediums, such as, e.g., a volatile/nonvolatile random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and a fresh memory.

Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 10C, the washing machine may include a direct water nozzle or first nozzle 13 and circulation nozzle or second nozzle 12 that eject water into the inner tub 5. The circulation nozzle 12 and the direct water nozzle 13 may be installed at the top cover 2. The circulation nozzle 12 and the direct water nozzle 13 may be provided at both sides with the drawer 172 interposed therebetween.

The circulation nozzle 12 and the direct water nozzle 13 may be installed at an upper portion of the outer tub 6. The circulation nozzle 12 may be provided at the rear side of an upper portion of the outer tub 6. The circulation nozzle 12 and the direct water nozzle 13 may be installed at the top cover 2. The circulation nozzle 12 and the direct water nozzle 13 may be provided at both sides with the drawer 172 interposed therebetween.

When being divided into both sides of the left and the right based on the dispenser 17 from the front, the circulation nozzle 12 may be provided at the one side, and the direct water nozzle 13 may be provided at another side. The pump 100 may be provided at a same side as the circulation nozzle 12 based on the dispenser 17 on the base 9. When viewing from the front, the circulation nozzle 12 may be provided at a left side of the dispenser 17, and the pump 100 may be provided at the same side as the circulation nozzle 12. When the circulation nozzle 12 is provided at the opposite side (for example, the right side of the dispenser 17), the pump 100 may also be provided at the right side of the dispenser 17.

The circulation nozzle 12 may include a water supply pipe 121 that guides water supplied through the circulation hose 90 and a diffuser 122 that refracts downward water discharged from the water supply pipe 121 to eject or discharge the water into the inner tub 5. The circulation nozzle 12 may be formed with one component of a synthetic resin material.

The water supply pipe 121 may extend straight from an inlet 121 a that injects or introduces water from a direct water supply hose to an outlet 121 b that discharges water to the diffuser 122. In order to increase a pressure of water discharged through the outlet 121 b, the outlet 121 b may have a smaller diameter than that of the inlet 121 a.

A radial protrusion 125 may protrude from an outer circumferential surface of the water supply pipe 121. A pair of radial protrusions 125 may be symmetrically provided based on a center of the water supply pipe 121. A hose coupling protrusion 126 may protrude from an outer circumferential surface of the water supply pipe 121. A protrusion coupling groove, in which the hose coupling protrusion 126 may be inserted, may be provided at an inner circumferential surface of the circulation hose 90.

The circulation nozzle 12 may include a plate 123 that extends outward along a radial direction from an outer circumferential surface of the water supply pipe 121. A rear surface of the plate 123 may be opposite to a front surface of the top cover 2, and the diffuser 122 may be formed at a front surface of the plate 123.

The diffuser 122 may include a collision surface 124 at which water, discharged through an outlet 121 b of the water supply pipe 121, collides and refracts downward. The diffuser 122 may have an ejection port 122 h that protrudes from a front surface of the plate 123 and that ejects or discharges water into the inner tub 5. The diffuser 122 has a chamber or hopper form depressed from the ejection port 122 h and may gradually increase a flow channel sectional area while advancing from the outlet 121 b of the water supply pipe 121 to the ejection port 122 h. A portion located at the front end of the outlet 121 b of the water supply pipe 121 at an inner side surface of the diffuser 122 forming the chamber may have a slope that enables the diffuser to refract water discharged from the outlet 121 b downward after colliding with the collision surface 124, which may form a slope.

The circulation nozzle 12 may further include an inclined portion 123 a that protrudes from the plate 123 from a portion corresponding to an upper area of the ejection port 122 h to the ejection port 122 h and having a slope that gradually protrudes from the plate 123 as it nears the ejection port 122 h. Because a gap may be formed between an end portion of the inclined portion 123 a and a front surface of the top cover 2, water may flow along the inclined portion 123 a and then even if water passes through the ejection port 122 h and drops, water dropped in this way may be prevented from contacting with the top cover 2.

In the plate 123, a fixing protrusion 128 may be protruded from a rear surface. The fixing protrusion 128 may include a pin 128 a that vertically extends from a rear surface of the plate 123 and a head 128 b that has an external diameter larger than that of the pin 128 a and that is formed at an end portion of the pin 128 a. An opening portion 123 h may be formed in the plate 123. A locking tab 127 that protrudes from an edge of the opening portion 123 h into the opening portion 123 h may be formed. The locking tab 127 may be a cantilever in which an end portion thereof may be located within the opening portion 123 h and may be bent based on a connection portion of the plate 123. At an end portion of the locking tab 127, a pressing protrusion 127 a that protrudes in a direction of a rear surface of the plate 123 may be formed.

At a front surface of the top cover 2, a nozzle mount 2 a that may be depressed backward may be formed. In the nozzle mount 2 a, a first installation port h1 and an arc-shaped second installation port h2 separated from the first installation port h1 extending in a circumferential direction from a center of the first installation port h1 or the center of the water supply pipe 121 may be formed. The first installation port h1 may include a circular water supply pipe insertion section h11 at which the water supply pipe 121 may be inserted, first and second radial protrusion insertion sections h12 and h13 that extend in a radial direction from the water supply pipe insertion section h11 to both sides, and a pressing protrusion insertion section h14 that extends in a radial direction from the second radial protrusion insertion section h13.

The second installation port h2 may include a head insertion section h21 at which a head 128 b may be inserted while inserting the radial protrusions 125 into the first and second radial protrusion insertion sections h12 and h13 and a protrusion guide section h22 that extends in a circumferential direction from the head insertion section h21 in a width smaller than a diameter of the head insertion section h21.

An installation process of the circulation nozzle 12 may be as follows. After the radial protrusions 125 is aligned with the radial protrusion insertion sections h12 and h13, the water supply pipe 121 may be inserted from a front side of the top cover 2 into the water supply pipe insertion section h11. In this case, a process of inserting the head 128 b of the fixing protrusion 128 into the head insertion section h21 may be performed simultaneously, and a rear surface of the plate 123 may be located on a front surface of the top cover 2. Further, a pressing protrusion 127 a of the locking tab 127 may come in close contact with a front surface of the top cover 2, and the locking tab 127 may be bent forward based on a connection portion with the plate 123.

When rotating the circulation nozzle 12, the head 128 b may move along the protrusion guide section h22. IF the pressing protrusion 127 a of the locking tab 127 is deformed, when the pressing protrusion 127 a arrives at a predetermined location while revolving along a front surface of the top cover 2, the pressing protrusion 127 a may be restored to an original form while being inserted into the locking tab insertion section h14 and thus installation of the circulation nozzle 12 may be complete.

When installation of the circulation nozzle 12 is complete, the radial protrusion 125 may be located on a rear surface of the top cover 2 and therefore the circulation nozzle 12 may not deviate to the front side of the first installation port h1. Because the fixing protrusion 128 may also be located within the protrusion guide section h22 having a width smaller than a diameter of the head 128 b, the head 128 b may not pass through the guide section h22, and the circulation nozzle 12 may not deviate to the front side of the first installation port h1. By appropriately designing a length of the protrusion guide section h22 and locations of the locking tab 127 and the insertion section h14 corresponding thereto, an ejection direction of the circulation nozzle 12 may be set in a desired direction.

Referring to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, when water is supplied with enough water pressure through the water supply pipe 121, water ejected through the ejection port 122 h may be maximally spread in a lateral direction with a maximum ejection width angle θw when viewing from the front as shown in FIG. 7 and may be ejected upward by a maximum vertical ejection angle θv relative to a vertical line when viewing from a side as shown in FIG. 10. As a pressure of water supplied through the water supply pipe 121 reduces, a width of a water flow ejected through the circulation nozzle 12 and a maximum height in which a water flow contacts the inner tub 5 may be lowered.

A pressure of water supplied through the water supply pipe 121 may change according to a rotation speed of the pump motor 170, and the controller 30 may change a rotation speed of the pump motor 170, thereby adjusting water flow ejected through the circulation nozzle 12. As shown in FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B, a maximum height in which a water flow ejected from the circulation nozzle 12 contacts the inner tub 5 may increase depending on when the pump motor 170 rotates in a low speed (I), when the pump motor 170 rotates in an intermediate speed (II), and when the pump motor 170 rotates in a high speed (III), and a horizontal ejection angle of the circulation nozzle 12 may increase.

The controller 30 may include a laundry amount determination module 31 and an operation control module 32. The laundry or clothes amount determination module 31 may determine an amount of laundry, or laundry amount, filled within the inner tub 5. Inertia of the inner tub 5 or the pulsator 15 may be an index that determines a laundry amount. For example, when rotating the inner tub 5 of a stop state, as a laundry amount increases, stop inertia of the inner tub 5 may increase and thus until the inner tub 5 arrives at a predetermined target speed, a long time may be required. Therefore, the laundry amount determination module 31 may determine a laundry amount based on a time taken until the inner tub 5 arrives at a target speed. In another example, when braking the rotating inner tub 5, the laundry amount determination module 31 may determine a laundry amount based on a time taken until the inner tub 5 stops, and in this case, the laundry amount determination module 31 may use rotation inertia of the inner tub 5 changing according to a laundry amount. A laundry amount may be determined in consideration of an electromotive force and a change value of an input current or an output current of the washing motor 41. A method of obtaining a laundry amount is widely known in the art and therefore, a detailed description thereof has been omitted. The laundry amount determination module 31 may determine a laundry amount with already known various methods.

The operation control module 32 may control various electronic devices such as, e.g., the washing motor 41, the water supply valve 43, the drain valve 44, and the pump motor 170. The operation control module 32 may control these devices based on a water level detected by the water level sensor 42 or a laundry amount determined by the laundry amount determination module 31. The operation control module 32 may supply water into the inner tub 5 through control of the water supply valve 43 and control a rotation speed of the pump motor 170 according to a laundry amount determined by the laundry amount determination module 31. For example, as a laundry amount determined by the laundry amount determination module 31 increases, the operation control module 32 may increase a rotation speed of the pump motor 170. When much laundry is injected into the inner tub 5, by increasing an ejection water pressure of the circulation nozzle 12, an ejection width angle θw and a maximum vertical ejection angle θv may increase.

While the pump motor 170 rotates, the operation control module 32 may continuously rotate the washing motor 41 in one direction. In this case, the washing motor 41 may rotate with enough speed to integrally rotate with the inner tub 5 in a state in which laundry within the inner tub 5 may be attached to an inner side surface, i.e., a drum D (see FIG. 12) of the inner tub 5 by centrifugal force. Water ejected through the circulation nozzle 12 may evenly soak laundry.

The direct water nozzle 13 may be formed in substantially the same structure as that of the circulation nozzle 12. In the top cover 2, a nozzle mount 2 a′ for the direct water nozzle 13 may be formed. The nozzle mount 2 a′ may have substantially the same structure as that of the nozzle mount 2 a, but as shown in FIG. 8, a form or shape of the first installation port h1 and the second installation port h2 may be mirror images or symmetrical to that of the nozzle mount 2 a. A nozzle cap 14 may be each coupled to the circulation nozzle 12 and the direct water nozzle 13. The nozzle cap 14 may enclose an outside of the diffuser 122 of each of the nozzles 12 and 13, and an opening portion that communicates with an ejection port of the nozzles 12 and 13 may be formed. The nozzle cap 14 may be coupled to the plate 123.

Referring to FIG. 12, as a vertical plane to which a rotational axis c of the inner tub 5 belongs, when one side of a reference surface F extended in the front-rear direction is defined as a first area S1 and another side thereof is defined as a second area S2, the circulation nozzle 12 may be provided at the first area S1 to eject water to arrive at the second area S2, and the direct water nozzle 13 may be provided at the second area S2 to eject water to arrive at the first area S1. In the circulation nozzle 12, at least a portion of an ejection port may be opened toward the second area S2, and, in the direct water nozzle 13, at least a portion of an ejection port may be opened toward the first area S1.

The inner tub 5 may include the bottom in which the pulsator 15 is provided and a cylindrical drum extended from the bottom to an upper portion. When the inner tub 5 is in a unloaded state in which laundry is not present in the inner tub 5, an ejection port of the circulation nozzle 12 may be opened toward an area from a first portion P(S1) on an upper surface of the pulsator 15 that belongs to the first area S1 to a second portion D(S2) on an inner circumferential surface of the drum that belongs to the second area S2. When the inner tub 5 is in an unloaded state, an ejection port of the direct water nozzle 13 may be opened toward an area from a third portion P(S2) on an upper surface of the pulsator 15 that belongs to the second area S2 to a fourth portion D(S1) on an inner circumferential surface of the drum that belongs to the first area S1.

Referring to FIG. 13, a circulation nozzle 12′ according to another embodiment may be different from circulation nozzle 12 according to the foregoing embodiment in that a portion of the ejection port 122 h may form a waveform W, but other elements may be the same. For example, the waveform W may be formed at a lower end of collision surface 124 constituting ejection port 122 h.

Referring to FIG. 14 to FIG. 17, the pump 100 may include a motor case 130 that houses the pump motor 170 and a pump housing 140 that forms a space or an impeller receiving space that houses the impeller 150 therein and that may be coupled to the motor case 130. The impeller 150 may include a plurality of vanes 151 radially provided. Four vanes 151 may be provided, but a number thereof is not limited thereto.

The pump housing 140 may include a housing body 141 that forms an impeller receiving space, a supply port 142 that extends forward from the housing body 141 and that communicates with the impeller receiving space, and two ports, for example, the circulation water discharge port 144 and the drain port 143 that discharge water delivered by the impeller 150 to outside of the impeller receiving space. The circulation water discharge port 144 and the drain port 143 may each extend outward from the housing body 141. The circulation water discharge port 144 may have substantially a same inner diameter as that of the drain port 143. However, the circulation water discharge port 144 is not limited thereto and the circulation water discharge port 144 may have an inner diameter smaller than that of the drain port 143 according to an exemplary embodiment.

A supply port 142 may be connected to the drain bellows 18. The supply port 142 may be formed with a pipe extended in a rotation shaft direction of the impeller 150. Water discharged from the outer tub 6 to the drain bellows 18 may pass through the supply port 142 to be supplied to the impeller receiving space.

In the pump housing 140, a drain discharge port 143 a corresponding to an inlet of the drain port 143 on a ring-shaped inner side surface 147 as shown in FIG. 15 having a clearance between the pump housing 140 and the impeller 150 and a circulation water discharge port 144 a corresponding to an inlet of the circulation water discharge port 144 may be formed. The inner side surface 147 may form an inner circumferential surface of the housing body 141, and the drain discharge port 143 a and the circulation water discharge port 144 a may be separated by a predetermined gap in a circumferential direction on the inner side surface 147.

The drain discharge port 143 a and the circulation water discharge port 144 a may be located within a range S between approximately 140° to 170° about a rotation shaft of the impeller 150. As shown in FIG. 15, a range(s) may be an angle in which one end 144 a 1 of the circulation water discharge port 144 a and one end 143 a 1 of the drain discharge port 143 a form about a rotation shaft of the impeller 150. Another end 144 a 2 of the circulation water discharge port 144 a and another end 143 a 2 of the drain discharge port 143 a may form an acute angle about a rotation shaft of the impeller 150. An angle θp formed by the drain discharge port 143 and the circulation water discharge port 144 may be approximately 30° to 90°.

When the pump motor 170 rotates in a forward direction, water may be supplied to the circulation hose 90 through the circulation water discharge port 144, and when the pump motor 170 rotates in a backward direction, water may be supplied to a drain hose 11 through the drain port 143. In order to perform a circulation operation of water and drainage, when water is discharged through the circulation water discharge port 144, discharge of water through the drain port 143 should be prevented. When water is discharged through the drain port 143, water should not be discharged through the circulation water discharge port 144. For this reason, the circulation water discharge port 144 a may be at a location higher than a location of the drain discharge port 143 a at an upstream side of a water flow based on when the impeller 150 rotates in a forward direction. Therefore, the drain discharge port 143 a may be located at the downstream side of a water flow further than the circulation water discharge port 144 a.

The circulation water discharge port 144 and the drain port 143 may extend in an outer direction of the housing body 141 from the circulation water discharge port 144 a and the drain discharge port 143 a, respectively, and the circulation water discharge port 144 may extend to the front side in a forward direction or in a direction leaned to the downstream side, and the drain port 143 may extend to the rear side in a forward direction or in a direction leaned to the upstream side.

As shown in FIG. 14B, when viewing the pump 100 at a side, for example, along a rotation shaft of the impeller 150, a center of the circulation water discharge port 144 a and a center of the drain discharge port 143 a may be separated by a predetermined gap d in a rotation shaft direction of the pump motor 170. When the pump motor 170 rotates in a forward direction, a drain prevention rib 146 to prevent water within the pump housing 140 from being discharged to the drain hose 11 through the drain discharge port 143 a may protrude from the inner side surface 147 of the pump housing 140. When the pump motor 170 rotates in a backward direction, a circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 to prevent water within the pump housing 140 from being discharged to the circulation hose 90 through the circulation water discharge port 144 a may protrude from the inner side surface 147 of the pump housing 140.

FIG. 16 shows upstream side (Up CW) and downstream side (Dn CW) of the circulation water discharge port 144 a based on a water flow when the pump motor 170 rotates in a forward direction and upstream side (Up CCW) and downstream side (Dn CCW) of the drain discharge port 143 a based on a water flow when the pump motor 170 rotates in a backward direction. As shown in FIG. 16, the drain prevention rib 146 may be formed adjacent to the drain discharge port 143 a at the downstream side (Dn CCW), and the circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 may be formed adjacent to the circulation water discharge port 144 a at the downstream side (Dn CW).

The drain prevention rib 146 may be at an edge of the drain discharge port 143 a, and the circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 may be at an edge of the circulation water discharge port 144 a. The drain prevention rib 146 and the circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 may each be formed within a gap between the impeller 150 and the inner side surface 147 of the pump housing 140, and an end portion of each of the ribs 146 and 148 may maintain a predetermined gap from a vane 151 of the impeller 150.

At least one of the drain prevention rib 146 and the circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 may protrude to a length of approximately 3 to 6 millimeters from the inner side surface 147 of the pump housing 140, and therefore a gap between the impeller 150 and the inner side surface 147 may be larger than the protrusion length.

At least one of the drain prevention rib 146 and the circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 may form an acute angle from the inner side surface 147. For example, an angle θr formed by the drain prevention rib 146 and the circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 may be 75° to 85°. According to an embodiment, the drain prevention rib 146 and the circulation water discharge prevention rib 148 may each vertically protrude from the inner side surface 147, compared with when an angle formed by both ribs 146 and 148 is 40°, as shown in FIG. 15, by enabling both ribs 146 and 148 to form an oblique angle from the inner side surface 147, when an angle formed by the both ribs 146 and 148 may be 80°. Upon draining/circulating, an amount of water leaked to the circulation water discharge port 144/the drain port 143 may be reduced.

The motor case 130 may be coupled to the pump housing 140. The pump housing 140 may have an opening portion at an opposite side of the supply port 142, and as the motor case 130 is coupled to the pump housing 140, the opening portion may be covered. A ring-shaped sealer 229 may be interposed along a coupler of the motor case 130 and the pump housing 140.

The motor case 130 may include a case body 110 and a rear cover 220. At the inside of the case body 110, a motor housing 225 that houses the pump motor 170 may be provided. The motor case 130 may be formed in a cylindrical shape extended from a front portion 226 through which a rotation shaft of the motor 170 passes to a rear. An opened rear end portion of the motor housing 225 may be coupled to the rear cover 220. A front portion of the motor housing 225 may be opened to insert the pump motor 170 into the motor housing 225. The opened portion of the motor housing 225 may be coupled to the front portion 226 of the case body 110.

In the rear cover 220, at least one heat releasing port 221 h may be formed, and at an upper portion of the heat releasing port 221 h, a cover plate 221 for blocking drop water from being introduced into the heat releasing port 221 h may be formed, and the cover plate 221 may be inclined downward. In the rear cover 220, a power connector 224 that connects the pump motor 170 and a power line may be formed.

Referring to FIG. 18 to FIG. 19, the pump 100 may be coupled to the base 9 by a pump supporter 50. The pump supporter 50 may include a plate 510 of a metal material, a plate support damper 520 installed on the plate 510, and a pump support damper 530 installed at the plate 510 to support a bridge 145 formed in the pump 100. Three plate support dampers 520 may be provided in a triangular shape. The plate support damper 520 and/or the pump support damper 530 may be made of a material, such as rubber, having elasticity and thus a vibration caused when the pump 100 operates by such dampers 520 and 530 may be buffered.

The plate 510 may include a horizontal flat plate portion 511, a plate support damper mount 515 that extends upward from the flat plate portion 511, and a pump support damper mount 519 that extends downward from the flat plate portion 511. The plate support damper mount 515 may include an upper vertical portion 512 bent upward from the flat plate portion 511 and an upward horizontal portion 513 horizontally bent from the upper vertical portion 512 to an outside of the flat plate portion 511 and having a hole in which the plate support damper 520 may be installed. When the plate support damper 520 is fixed on the upward horizontal portion 513, a lower end portion thereof may be coupled to the base 9. The pump support damper mount 519 may include a lower vertical portion 516 bent downward from the flat plate portion 511 and a lower horizontal portion 517 horizontally bent from the lower vertical portion 516 to the outside of the flat plate portion 511 and having a hole in which the pump support damper 530 is installed.

The pump 100 may include a pair of bridges 145 that protrude downward from the pump housing 140. In a state in which the pump support damper 530 is fixed on the lower horizontal portion 517, an upper end portion thereof is coupled to the bridge 145 of the pump 100.

FIG. 20 illustrates a pump 100 a according to another embodiment. Elements corresponding to the foregoing embodiments may be denoted by the same reference numeral and a detailed description thereof may be omitted. Referring to FIG. 20, the pump 100 a may include a check valve 160 rotatably connected to an inner side surface 147 of a pump housing 140 to close a drain discharge port 143 a when the pump motor 170 rotates in a forward direction and to close a circulation water discharge port 144 a when the pump motor 170 rotates in a backward direction.

The check valve 160 may operate by a water flow formed by the impeller 150, a rotation shaft connected to the inner side surface 147 of the pump housing 140 may be formed substantially parallel to a rotation shaft of the impeller 150, and a rotation shaft of the pump housing 140 may be located between the circulation water discharge port 144 a and the drain discharge port 143 a. Therefore, a rotation direction of the impeller 150 and a rotation direction of the check valve 160 may be opposite. Because the drain discharge port 143 a is located downstream of a water flow further than the circulation water discharge port 143 a based on when the impeller 150 rotates in a forward direction, when the impeller 150 rotates in a forward direction, the drain discharge port 143 a may maintain a closed state by the check valve 160. In this state, when a rotation direction of the impeller 150 is converted to a backward direction, the check valve 160 may rotate in a forward direction, the drain discharge port 143 a may be opened, and the circulation water discharge port 144 a may be opened.

The check valve 160 may be made of a flexible material, such as rubber, having some elasticity, and a surface that contacts the inner side surface 147 of the pump housing 140 may be flat. At the inner side surface 147 of the pump housing 140, a peripheral portion of the circulation water discharge port 144 a and a peripheral portion of the drain discharge port 143 a that contact the check valve 160 may be flat. Because the check valve 160 closes the drain discharge port 143 a or the circulation water discharge port 144 a to correspond to a rotation direction of the pump motor 170, unexpected leakage from the drain pump 100 a may be prevented.

According to another embodiment 100 b; FIG. 21A shows a side view of a state in which a first pump housing 140 a and a second pump housing 140 b may be removed, FIG. 21B shows a view taken in a direction I of FIG. 21A in a state in which a first pump housing 140 a and a second pump housing 140 b may be assembled, and FIG. 21C shows a view taken in a direction II of FIG. 21A in a state in which the first pump housing 140 a and the second pump housing 140 b may be assembled. Elements corresponding to the foregoing embodiments may be denoted by the same reference numerals and a detailed description thereof may be omitted. In the pump 100 b, a pump motor may be a two shaft motor, and impellers 150 a and 150 b may be coupled to each shaft of the two shaft motor. The two shaft motor may be a motor having two rotating shafts, and each shaft may be aligned on a same line and rotates by a common rotator.

The pump 100 b may include a first pump housing 140 a and a second pump housing 140 b that house the first impeller 150 a and the second impeller 150 b, respectively. The first pump housing 140 a and the second pump housing 140 b may be coupled to both sides, respectively, of a pump case 130. In at least one of the first pump housing 140 a and the second pump housing 140 b, supply ports 142 a and 142 b may be formed. The first supply port 142 a and the second supply port 142 b may be formed in the first pump housing 140 a and the second pump housing 140 b, respectively, to supply water discharged through a drain bellows 18 to the first supply port 142 a and the second supply port 142 b. However, embodiments are not limited thereto and the first pump housing 140 a and the second pump housing 140 b may communicate to supply water to an entirety of the both pump housings 140 a and 140 b through one supply port.

In the first pump housing 140 a, a circulation water discharge port 144 may be formed, and in the second pump housing 140 b, a drain discharge port 143 may be formed. The present embodiment may be different from the foregoing embodiments in that the circulation water discharge port 144 and the drain port 143 may not be formed in one common pump housing but may be formed in the first pump housing 140 a and the second pump housing 140 b, respectively, and may be formed in substantially a same structure as that of the foregoing embodiments. In the first pump housing 140 a, the drain port 143 may not be formed, and in the second pump housing 140 b, the circulation water discharge port 144 may not be formed. When the pump motor rotates in a forward direction, water delivered by the first impeller 150 a may be discharged through the circulation water discharge port 144. When the pump motor rotates in a backward direction, water delivered by the second impeller 150 b may be discharged through the drain port 143.

Referring to FIG. 22A to FIG. 24, a circulation hose 90 may be provided within the cabinet 1. The circulation hose 90 may be provided within an inside corner of the cabinet 1. The circulation hose 90 may be provided within the inside corner located at a rear of the cabinet 1. The circulation hose 90 may include a first curved portion or section 93 that extends by a predetermined length from one end connected to pumps 100, 100 a, and 100 b (hereinafter, represented as 100) in an ejection direction of the pump 100, extends toward a corner of the cabinet 1 while bent at least once, and extends upward while bent at least once more and an upward extending portion or section 91 that extends upward from the first curved portion 93 and that passes through between the corner of the cabinet 1 and the outer tub 6.

Water pumped from the pump 100 may flow in an upper direction from a lower end of the upward extending portion 91. The upward extending portion 91 may extend to a lower portion of the hanger bracket 88 fixed to the inside of a corner formed by the side portion 1 c and the rear portion 1 d upward (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The upward extending portion 91 may be located at the inside of a corner of the cabinet 1. The pump 100 may be provided at one side of a lower or bottom portion of the cabinet 1, and in this case, the upward extending portion 91 may be provided at the inside of a corner located at the rear of the cabinet 1. Alternatively, the upward extending portion 91 may be provided at a same side as the circulation nozzle 12 based on the dispenser 17.

The circulation hose 90 may include a pump connecting portion 92 that connects the lower end of the upward extending portion 91 and the pump 100 and a nozzle connection portion 94 that connects an upper end of the upward extending portion 91 and the circulation nozzle 12. A shape of the pump connection portion 92 may be described in a flow direction of water.

The pump connection portion 92 may extend backward from the pump 100, may be bent in a round shape in any one direction of both side directions to be horizontally extended, and may be bent in a round shape upward to be connected to the lower end of the upward extending portion 91. The side direction may be a direction toward any one of two side portions 1 b and 1 c. For example, a portion in which the pump connection portion 92 extends backward from the pump 100 may be upwardly inclined.

The pump connection portion 92 may be inclined upward to the rear from the pump 100, may be bent in a round shape in an adjacent inside corner direction among inside corners of the cabinet 1 to be substantially horizontally extended, and may bent in a round shape upward to be connected to the lower end of the upward extending portion 91.

In an embodiment in which the upward extending portion 91 may be provided at the inside of any one of inside corners of the cabinet 1, the pump connection portion 92 may incline upward to the rear from the pump 100, may be bent in a round shape in the inside corner direction at which the upward extending portion 91 is provided to be horizontally extended, and may be bent in a round shape upward to be connected to the lower end of the upward extending portion 91.

A shape of the nozzle connection portion 94 may be described in a flow direction of water. The nozzle connection portion 94 may be bent in a round shape to be horizontally extended in another direction of both side directions from the upper end of the upward extending portion 91, may be bent and extended in a round shape upward, and may be bent in a round shape forward to be connected to the circulation nozzle 12. Another direction of the both side directions may mean a remaining one direction different from a direction in which the pump connection portion 92 may be bent among both side directions.

In another embodiment, the nozzle connection portion 94 may be bent in a round shape to be horizontally extended in an opposite direction of an adjacent inside corner direction among the inside corners of the cabinet 1 from the upper end of the upward extending portion 91, may be bent and extended in a round shape upward, and may be bent in a round shape forward to be connected to the circulation nozzle 12.

In an embodiment in which the upward extending portion 91 is provided at any one of inside corners of the cabinet 1, the upward extending portion 91 may be bent in a round shape to be horizontally extended in an opposite direction of the inside corner direction in which the upward extending portion 91 is provided, may be bent and extended in a round shape upward, and may be bent in a round shape forward to connected to the circulation nozzle 12.

The circulation hose 90 may be described based on a locational relationship with peripheral elements. The circulation hose 90 may include a first curved portion or section 93 connected to the circulation water discharge port 144 to be bent in a round shape at least once in the corner direction in which the upward extending portion 91 may be provided in a protrusion direction of the circulation water discharge port 144 and bent in a round shape at least once upward in the corner direction to be connected to the lower end of the upward extending portion 91.

The circulation hose 90 may include a second curved portion or section 95 connected to the upper end of the upward extending portion 91 to be bent in a round shape at least once in a direction approaching the circulation nozzle 12. The second curved portion 95 may be bent in a round shape in a horizontal direction along an inner side surface of any one of a front portion 1 a, both side portions 1 b and 1 c, and a rear portion 1 d and may be extended adjacent to the circulation nozzle 12. In the present embodiment, the second curved portion 95 may be bent in a round shape in a horizontal direction along the rear portion 1 d in a low side portion of the hanger bracket 88 to be extended to a portion adjacent to the rear portion 1 d of the rear side of the circulation nozzle 12.

The circulation hose 90 may include a third curved portion or section 97 bent in a round shape at least once upward at a downstream side of the second curved portion 95 at a height of the circulation nozzle 12 and bent in a round shape at least once in a direction of the circulation nozzle 12 to be connected to the circulation nozzle 12.

The entire circulation hose 90 may be integrally made of a same material and both end portions 90 a and 90 c and an intermediate segment 90 b of the both end portions may be made of different materials. The entire circulation hose 90 may be made of a rubber material such as ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM). Referring to FIG. 25, the circulation hose may include first and second end portions 90 a and 90 c and the intermediate segment 90 b between the first end portion 90 a and the second end portion 90 c.

The first and second end portions 90 a and 90 c may be made of a flexible material, and the intermediate segment 90 b may be made of a material harder than that of the first and second end portions 90 a and 90 c. The first end portion 90 a and/or the second end portion 90 c may be made of a rubber material, and the intermediate segment 90 b may be made of a material, for example, polypropylene (PP) harder than that of the rubber material.

Because the intermediate segment 90 b is made of a hard material, upon operating the pump 100, even if water moves through a circulation hose 90′, the intermediate segment 90 b may not be easily deformed and may maintain its position and thus there may be a low possibility that the intermediate segment 90 b may contact an inner side surface of the cabinet 1 or the outer tub 6. Because the first end portion 90 a and the second end portion 90 c coupling to the pump 100 and the circulation nozzle 12, respectively, may be made of a flexible material, a vibration of the pump 100 or a vibration transferred in an ejection process through the circulation nozzle 12 may reduce vibration transfer to the intermediate segment 90 b.

In the present embodiment, in an EPDM material hose portion of the circulation hose 90, a pipe or hose thickness may be 3 mm, an inner diameter thereof may be 18 mm, and an external diameter thereof may be 24 mm. In a PP material hose portion of the circulation hose 90, a pipe or hose thickness thereof may be 2.5 mm, an inner diameter thereof may be 20 mm, and an external diameter thereof may be 25 mm.

According to an embodiment, the circulation hose 90 may be attached and provided at the outer tub 6. When the outer tub 6 and the circulation hose 90 are securely coupled, a danger may be reduced that the circulation hose 90, the outer tub 6, and a bonding portion between the circulation hose 90 and the outer tub 6 may be damaged.

When the upward extending portion 91 contacts the outer tub 6, the upward extending portion 91 may be extended and provided upward, and at a specific location of the outer tub 6, a fixing portion or fixer that fixes the upward extending portion 91 and the outer tub 6 may be provided. The pump connection portion 92 or the first curved portion 93 may be attached and provided at the outer tub 6. A fixing portion or fixer that fixes the pump connection portion 92 or the first curved portion 93 and the outer tub 6 may be provided. The nozzle connection portion 94, the second curved portion 95 or the third curved portion 97 may be attached and provided at the outer tub 6. A fixing portion or fixer that fixes the nozzle connection portion 94, the second curved portion 95, or the third curved portion 97 and the outer tub 6 may be provided.

The circulation hose 90 may be separately provided from the outer tub 6. When the inner tub 5 rotates, the outer tub 6 vibrates and a surface of the vibrating outer tub 6 may not contact a surface of the circulation hose 90, thereby reducing damage to the circulation hose 90 and reducing noise due to contact. In this embodiment, the washing machine may include a first fixing portion or fixer 71 separated by 280 mm upward from an upper side surface of the base 9 to be provided at an inner side surface of the rear portion 1 d. The first fixing portion 71 may fix the upward extending portion 91 to the rear portion 1 d or to the side portions 1 b and 1 c. The washing machine may include a second fixing portion or fixer 72 separated by 260 mm upward from the first fixing portion 71 to be provided at an inner side surface of the rear portion 1 d. The second fixing portion 72 may fix the upward extending portion 91 to the rear portion 1 d or to the side portions 1 b and 1 c. Thereby, a load of the upward extending portion 91 may be uniformly distributed and the upward extending portion 91 may be thus fixed to the cabinet 1. In this description, the 280 mm and 260 mm may include an acceptable error range to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

In this embodiment, the washing machine may include a third fixing portion or fixer 73 provided at an inner side surface of the top cover 2 and that fixes the circulation hose 90 to the top cover 2 at the downstream side of the third curved portion 97. Thereby, the third fixing portion 73 may support a weight of the circulation hose 90 at an upper portion and enable the circulation hose 90 to be separated from an upper side surface of the outer tub 6.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a washing machine may be able to reduce noise by separating an outer tub from a circulation hose. By maintaining the circulation hose in a state separated from the outer tub, durability of the circulation hose may be improved. The circulation hose may be attached to and extend to an inner side surface of the cabinet and thus use of a separated space between the cabinet and the outer tub may increase. By distributing support points of the circulation hose, the circulation hose may be stably supported. By having different materials for end portions of the circulation hose and an intermediate segment therebetween, even while reducing a possibility that the circulation hose may contact an outer circumferential surface of the outer tub, vibration may be blocked from being transferred from a pump and nozzle, in which micro vibrations occurs, to the circulation hose.

Because an ejection angle of a circulation nozzle can be changed, laundry in an inner tub may be effectively soaked. By changing an ejection angle of a circulation nozzle according to a laundry amount while washing, a washing deviation according to a laundry amount may be reduced. Even while saving an amount of water used for washing, laundry may be evenly soaked. Because water may be applied to laundry using a circulation nozzle, secondary pollution due to discoloration occurring when the laundry is exposed to air or coagulation of detergent residues may be prevented.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a washing machine that may suppress noise by minimizing vibration occurring at the outer tub to be transferred to the cabinet and other elements and that may improve component durability.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a washing machine that may efficiently and stably contain a circulation hose within a cabinet and a washing machine that may prevent vibration of a circulation hose by separating a circulation hose from the outer tub and by relieving vibrations that may be received at end portions of the circulation hose.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a washing machine may include a base, a cabinet supported by the base, an outer tub provided within the cabinet, an inner tub that receives laundry and that rotates about a vertical axis within the outer tub, a circulation nozzle provided at an upper edge of the outer tub and that discharges water into the inner tub, a pump provided at the base and that pumps water from the outer tub, and a circulation hose that guides water from the pump to the circulation nozzle. The circulation hose may include a first curved portion or section that extends by a predetermined length in an ejection direction of the pump from one end connected to the pump, bent by at least once to be extended toward a corner of the cabinet, and bent at least once more to be extended upward; and an upward extending portion or section that extends upward from the first curved portion and that passes a through a space between the corner of the cabinet and the outer tub.

A washing machine according to embodiments may include a base, a cabinet, and a top cover. The cabinet may include a front portion, both side portions, and a rear portion. The washing machine may include an outer tub provided within the cabinet, an inner tub rotatably installed within the outer tub and that receives laundry, and a pump provided on an upper side surface of the base and that pumps to resupply water discharged from the outer tub into the outer tub.

The washing machine may include a circulation nozzle provided at an upper portion or edge of the outer tub so as to eject water resupplied into the outer tub into the outer tub, a drain bellows that guides water discharged from the outer tub to the pump, and a circulation hose that guides water pumped by the pump to the circulation nozzle and that is separately provided from the outer tub.

The washing machine may include four hanger brackets each fixed to an inner side surface of an upper portion of four corners formed by the front portion, both side portions, and the rear portion. The washing machine may include four support rods having one end connected to an outer circumferential surface of the outer tub and the other end connected to each of the four hanger brackets, respectively, so as to suspend the outer tub within the cabinet.

The pump may have a circulation water discharge port that protrudes in a side direction thereof to be coupled to one end of the circulation hose. The circulation hose may include an upward extending portion extended upward and provided within a corner formed by two adjacent covers among the front portion, the side portions, and the rear portion.

The circulation hose may include a first curved portion or section connected to the circulation water discharge port to be bent in a round shape at least one time from a protrusion direction of the circulation water discharge port to the corner direction and bent in a round shape at least once upward in the corner direction so as to connect to the lower end of the upward extending portion.

The circulation hose may include a second curved portion or section connected to the upper end of the upward extending portion to be bent in a round shape at least once in a direction approaching the circulation nozzle. The circulation hose may include a third curved portion or section bent in a round shape at least once upward at the downstream side of the second curved portion to be extended to a height of the circulation nozzle and bent in a round shape at least once in the circulation nozzle direction so as to connect to the circulation nozzle. The washing machine may include a first fixing portion or fixer, a second fixing portion or fixer and/or a third fixing portion or fixer that fixes the circulation hose to an inner side surface of the cabinet.

Both end portions of the circulation hose may be made of a rubber material, and an intermediate segment of the both end portions may be made of a material harder than that of the rubber material. The circulation hose may include a pump connection portion or section that connects the lower end of the pump and the upward extending portion and a nozzle connection portion or section that connects the upper end of the upward extending portion and the circulation nozzle.

The pump connection portion may be extended in a direction between a rear portion and an upper portion from the pump according to a flow direction of water, be bent in a round shape in an adjacent inside corner direction among inside corners of the cabinet to be horizontally extended, and be bent in a round shape upward to be connected to the lower end of the upward extending portion. The nozzle connection portion may be bent in a round shape in an opposite direction of the adjacent inside corner direction from the upper end of the upward extending portion to be horizontally extended according to a flow direction of water, and be bent in a round shape forward to be connected to the circulation nozzle.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a washing machine may include a cabinet, at least one tub to receive wash water and laundry, a first nozzle provided above the at least one tub to discharge water from an external water source, a second nozzle provided above the at least one tub to discharge water recirculated from water inside the at least one tub, a recirculation hose coupled to the second nozzle and extending toward a bottom of the at least one tub, and a pump provided below the at least one tub and configured to pump water from the at least one tub into the recirculation hose to be discharged through the second nozzle.

This application relates to U.S. application Ser. No. 15/283,527 (Attorney Docket No. PBC-0586), Ser. No. 15/283,571 (Attorney Docket No. PBC-0587), Ser. No. 15/283,601 (Attorney Docket No. PBC-0588), Ser. No. 15/283,662 (Attorney Docket No. PBC-0589), and Ser. No. 15/283,763 (Attorney Docket No. PBC-0590), all filed on Oct. 3, 2016, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that features disclosed in these above-noted applications may be combined in any combination with features disclosed herein.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component portions and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component portions and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A washing machine, comprising: a cabinet; an outer tub provided within the cabinet; an inner tub configured to receive laundry, the inner tub provided in the outer tub and being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis; a circulation nozzle provided at an upper side of the outer tub and configured to discharge water into the inner tub; a pump provided below the outer tub and configured to pump the water from the outer tub; and a circulation hose that guides water from the pump to the circulation nozzle, the circulation hose including: a first curved section that extends from an end connected to the pump a predetermined length in a flow direction of water discharged from the pump, extends toward a corner of the cabinet by being bent at least once, and extends upward by being further bent at least once more; and an upward extending section that extends upward from the first curved section and passes through a space between the corner of the cabinet and the outer tub.
 2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the circulation hose further includes a nozzle connection section bent at least once from the upward extending section to be connected to the circulation nozzle.
 3. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein the nozzle connection section includes: a second curved section that extends in a direction opposite the corner from the upward extending section; and a third curved section bent upward from the second curved section and bent toward the circulation nozzle.
 4. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein a bent section of the circulation hose forms a curved contour.
 5. The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising a top cover coupled to an upper portion of the cabinet and in which an opening for laundry is provided, and the circulation nozzle is provided at the top cover.
 6. The washing machine of claim 5, further comprising a dispenser provided at the top cover and configured to dispense an additive together with water into the inner tub, wherein the circulation nozzle is provided at a side of the dispenser, and the pump is provided at a same side as the circulation nozzle in relation to the dispenser when viewed from a front.
 7. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the circulation hose includes: a first end connected to the pump; a second end connected to the circulation nozzle; and an intermediate segment between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end and the second end are each made of a material that is flexible, and the intermediate segment is made of a material harder than each of the material of the first end and the second end.
 8. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes a front surface, side surfaces, and a rear surface, and wherein the washing machine further includes a first fixer configured to fix an upper portion of the circulation hose and provided at an inner surface of the rear surface of the cabinet.
 9. The washing machine of claim 8, further comprising a second fixer configured to fix the upper portion of the circulation hose and provided at the inner surface of the rear surface of the cabinet at a location above and separate from the first fixer.
 10. The washing machine of claim 8, further comprising a top cover coupled to an upper portion of the cabinet and in which an opening for laundry is provided, wherein the circulation nozzle is provided at the top cover, and wherein the washing machine further includes a third fixer provided at the top cover and configured to fix the circulation nozzle to the top cover at a downstream side of the third curved section.
 11. A washing machine, comprising: a base; a cabinet supported by the base; an outer tub provided within the cabinet; an inner tub configured to receive laundry, the inner tub provided in the outer tub and being rotatable about a vertical axis; a circulation nozzle provided at an upper edge of the outer tub and configured to discharge water into the inner tub; a pump provided at the base and configured to pump the water from the outer tub; and a circulation hose that guides water from the pump to the circulation nozzle, the circulation hose including: a pump connection section connected to the pump; an upward extending section that extends upward from the pump connection section and passes through a space in a corner of the cabinet between the cabinet and the outer tub; and a nozzle connection section that extends from the upper section to be connected to the circulation nozzle, wherein the pump connection section extends upward from the pump to a rear side of the cabinet, bends toward the corner of the cabinet, and bends upward to be connected to a lower end of the upper section of the circulation hose.
 12. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein the nozzle connection section extends from the upper end of the upper section in an opposite direction than the corner of the cabinet and extends forward to be connected to the circulation nozzle.
 13. A washing machine, comprising: a cabinet; at least one tub to receive wash water and laundry; a first nozzle provided above the at least one tub to discharge water from an external water source; a second nozzle provided above the at least one tub to discharge water recirculated from water inside the at least one tub; a recirculation hose coupled to the second nozzle and extending toward a bottom of the at least one tub; and a pump provided below the at least one tub and configured to pump water from the at least one tub into the recirculation hose to be discharged through the second nozzle.
 14. The washing machine of claim 13, wherein the recirculation hose includes: a first end connected to the pump; a second end connected to the second nozzle; and an intermediate segment between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end and the second end are each made of a material that is flexible, and the intermediate segment is made of a material harder than each of the material of the first end and the second end.
 15. The washing machine of claim 13, further comprising a first fixer configured to fix an upper portion of the recirculation hose at a rear inner corner of the cabinet.
 16. The washing machine of claim 15, further comprising a second fixer configured to fix the upper portion of the recirculation hose at the rear inner corner of the cabinet at a location above and separate from the first fixer.
 17. The washing machine of claim 16, further comprising: a top cover coupled to an upper portion of the cabinet and in which an opening for laundry is provided; and a third fixer provided at the top cover and configured to fix the second nozzle to the top cover. 